The number of eligible death and injury claims being filed in connection with a defective General Motors vehicle ignition switch will certainly increase, an official with the victim compensation fund has said, despite the January 31 deadline passing.

Thus far, the top American automaker has recalled 2.6 million
older cars since last year after waiting 11 years to begin the
reeling in of vehicles with ignition switch failures that were
linked to fatalities.

Claims were due to be filed by the end of January, and eligible
death and injury claims will “absolutely” rise, Camille Biros,
deputy administrator for the compensation fund,
told Reuters.

There have been 51 eligible death claims associated with the
ignition switch defection, she said, while catastrophic injuries
and less serious injuries stand at eight and 69, respectively.

As of Sunday, 4,180 claims were received, up from 3,068 on
January 23, Biros said. January was the heaviest month for
claims, she added, with more than 1,600 filed. GM extended the
original December 31 deadline by one month to accommodate filers.

Biros said GM has made 93 settlement offers – 40 have been paid
and 49 accepted, and none have been rejected,
according to The Detroit News.

Claims verified before the deadline but received afterward would
still be counted, said Biros, who works with administrator
Kenneth Feinberg to administer claims. She said they will likely
work to process claims through until the end of spring.

GM’s defective ignition switches randomly slip out of position,
paralyzing a car’s power steering or disabling its air bags.

The problem has been inflicted on various brands
-- including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and
Saturn -- and models produced anywhere from 1997 to 2011.

How many were they willing to let die sweeping auto defects
under rug? GM Compensation: Death/Injury Claims To Rise
http://t.co/ME73CZsMU0

GM has set aside $400 million to $600 million for compensation
payments.

Feinberg was hired by GM after running out-of-court victim
compensation funds for Sept. 11 victims and from the 2011
Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the compensation website, Feinberg
“retains complete and sole discretion over all compensation
awards to eligible victims, including eligibility to participate
in the Program and the amounts awarded. By agreement, GM cannot
reject the Administrator’s final determinations as to eligibility
and amount of compensation.”

Days before the Jan. 31 filing deadline, US Sens. Richard
Blumenthal and Edward Markey
wrote to GM CEO Mary Barra urging another deadline extension.

The senators cited an ongoing criminal investigation into GM
conduct by a federal grand jury. They said that victims needed
more time to either accept payments or to file their own legal
action based on action taken by the US Department of Justice.

“The Department of Justice is investigating whether any
criminal conduct was involved in G.M.’s handling of the ignition
switch defect,” they wrote.

“Further, several victims who have decided to pursue claims
in court are waiting on a federal court determination of the
extent of G.M.’s liability in the aftermath of its 2009
bankruptcy. Put simply, right now, injured parties do not know
enough about their legal rights or facts to make an informed
decision. Indeed, they cannot have sufficient information until
the DOJ concludes its criminal investigation and the bankruptcy
court decides whether to lift the liability shield that G.M. now
unjustifiably hides behind.”